Community happenings

Florida Trail Association
The Florida Trail Association will hold the following events. Visit http://westgate.floridatrail.org or call the listed number.
•Jan. 3: Hike on the Nokuse section either 3 miles or 9.9 miles at 8 a.m. Call 682-6098
•Jan. 4: Hike in the Naval Live Oaks area in Gulf Breeze with lunch afterwards at 8 a.m. Call 477-7043.
•Jan. 9: Hike on the Dunes on Pensacola Beach with lunch afterwards at 8 a.m. Call 932-5469.
•Jan. 10: Night hike around Bear Lake with pot luck dinner following at  5 p.m. Call (727) 375-3416.
•Jan. 16: Spend the long weekend at St. Joe Peninsula hiking, camping and eating. 8 a.m. Call 995-4267.
•Jan. 17: A 4 day, 3 night backpacking/hike on Eglin at 8 a.m. Do all 30 miles or part. Call 492-8258.
•Jan. 24: Volunteers needed for trail maintenance at 8 a.m. Call 983-2557.
•Jan. 24: Cold weather BBQ at 5 p.m. Call 682-6098.
•Jan. 27: Monthly meeting at 6 p.m. at LaRumba restaurant in Niceville. Visitors welcome. Call 682-6098.
•Jan. 31: Volunteers needed for trail maintenance on the Nokuse section at 8:15 a.m. Call 862-9633.
•Jan. 31: Hike on the Hutton Unit in Blackwater River State Forest at 8 a.m. Call 932-0125.
 
Snowbird coffees
Southern Resorts Vacation Rentals will hold morning coffees with doughnuts for their “Southern Snowbirds” at 8 a.m. beginning Jan. 5 and continuing through February.
Coffees are scheduled Mondays in Panama City Beach, Tuesdays in Fort Walton Beach, Wednesdays in Destin and Thursdays in Port St. Joe.

Bridgeway Senior Program
Bridgeway Senior Program will deliver the following meals the week of Jan. 5-9:
•Monday: Char steak.
•Tuesday: New Orleans chicken and rice.
•Wednesday: BBQ beef.
•Thursday: Baked chicken.
•Friday: Grilled pork patty.

Jewelry sale
Destin United Methodist Women will hold a jewelry sale from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 6 in Avery Hall at the church, 200 Beach Drive. All proceeds go to missions.
 
Grief workshop
Covenant Hospice invites those who have lost a loved one to attend a free grief workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 6 in Avery Hall at Destin United Methodist Church, 200 Beach Drive.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a friend to learn new insights into the grief process. Call 729-1800, Ext. 263.
 
Snowbird Expo
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce and ResortQuest present the Senior Snowbird Expo from 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 9 at the Emerald Coast Conference Center on Okaloosa Island. Admission is $1 for the tradeshow featuring entertainment, food and fun.

Topsail tours
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach will hold the following tours. A $2 park entrance fee is required. For information, call 267-0299.
•Breakfast with a Ranger: Ask questions about wildlife at 9 a.m. Jan. 10. Bring $3 or bring your own breakfast.
•Turpentining: Earn daily babbits at 10 a.m. Jan. 17.
•Birds of Prey: Learn about owls, ospreys, hawks and other hunters in the sky at 9 a.m. Jan. 31.

Collegiate High School
Applications for 2009-2010 admission to the Collegiate High School are now available. Information sessions will be held at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 8 and 12 in the College Mall, Bldg. K community gallery on the college’s Niceville campus and at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Crestview Public Library.
For more information, visit the school’s web site at www.nwfcollegiatehigh.org 

Center for Lifelong Learning
Registration for the Center for Lifelong Learning classes will be held Jan. 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. for returning students and 1 to 2 p.m. for new students at the UWF/NWFSC Campus in Fort Walton Beach in the auditorium.
Late registration will be from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 12-14 in the administrative office, Bldg. 1.
Classes are open to adults of all ages for the purpose of personal enrichment, with more than 70 classes offered for the Winter Session. Call 863-6548.

Boating seminars
Seminars, sponsored by UWF and the Fort Walton Sail and Power Squadron, a unit of the United States Power Squadrons, include Boating Security on Jan. 12 and Boat Handling Under Power Jan. 26. Seminars begin at 7 p.m. at the University of West Florida Coombs Campus on Lovejoy Road in Fort Walton Beach and last two hours.
Registration is available on-line through the UWF Continuing Education Maritime Education Web site at www.uwf.edu or call 315-0686 or 474-2914.

Zen priest to speak
“How to Taste a Strawberry When a Tiger Is Chasing You” is the title of a talk to be given by The Rev. Teijo Munnich of Asheville, N.C., at 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Coastal Branch Library in south Walton County.
The talk is free and open to the public.  The library is at 437 Greenway Trail near U.S. Hwy. 331 in south Walton County. Call 231-1498 for more information.

Legislative Forum
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce announces the “2009 Legislative Forum” will be held from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Jan. 15 at Emerald Coast Conference Center on Okaloosa Island. This year’s program includes a Legislative Update by the Florida Chamber of Commerce prior to the meeting with the members of the Northwest Florida Legislative Delegation. Call 244-8191.

Destin Library
The following events are held regularly at the Destin Library. Call 837-8572
•Tai Chi for Arthritis: At 7 a.m.  Wednesdays. Cost is $5/class. 
•Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime: From 3 to 3:45 p.m. Tuesdays and 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Thursdays for ages 4 months to 4 years.
•Independent Film Series: Independent and foreign films shown at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month.
•Friends of the Destin Library: Monthly meeting held at 10 a.m. the second Friday of each month.

Destin Community Center
All activities are at the Destin Community Center, unless noted. Call 654-5184 for information and to register. Persons with disabilities who require assistance are asked to notify the center 48 hours in advance.
•Brazilian Martial Arts: Offered at 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
•Chair Yoga: Meets at 11 a.m. Thursdays. Cost is $2.
•Duplicate bridge: At 9:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays and 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Community Center Annex. Entry fee: $5. No partner needed.
•Game room: Open to children 10 and older and under 10 accompanied by adult from 1 to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday.
•Intermediate party bridge: At 12:45 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays at the Community Center Annex. Call 837-1967.
•Jazzercise class: 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
•Low impact aerobics: From 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Bring water and towel. Cost $3 per session.
•Pilates: Class held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost $5/class.
•Walk to music: From 8 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.
•Woodcarving: Coastal Wood Carvers meet at 9 a.m. Fridays. Fee: $3 per class.
•Zumba: Dance fitness class at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. Thursdays. Cost $6 per class.

Destin YMCA
If interested in the following events, contact the Destin Family YMCA at 837-8440.
•Swim lessons: On going classes, weekly and weekend. Ages 6 months to adult.
•Swim team: For developmental group and age group to seniors. Call for information.

Heartfelt Walkabout
Join Sacred Heart Foundation for a “Heartfelt Walkabout” from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Magnolia Ballroom at the Village of Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Guests will enjoy signature dishes from area restaurants, wine tastings, live entertainment, and silent and live auctions. All proceeds from the event will benefit Sacred Heart Foundation’s capital campaign to raise $5 million for the expansion of heart and vascular services at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast.
Tickets are $99 per person and may be purchased at Kitchenique in The Market Shops at Sandestin, Burnt Pine Golf Club, and Sacred Heart Foundation.
 
Walton County Master Gardener course
Applications are being accepted for the new Master Gardener class to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Thursday Feb. 5 through April 23 at the Walton County Extension Office, 732 N. 9th Street in DeFuniak Springs.
Space is limited. A charge of $95 covers books and other supplies. In addition to classroom work, students are expected to participate in community volunteer projects.
Call 892-8172 for applications.  Deadline is Jan. 16.

Cox Cablethon
The 37th annual Cox Communications Cablethon benefiting Covenant Hospice will be held Feb. 27-28 on Channel 6.
The Cablethon may also be viewed globally this year via the Internet so providing sponsors even more value for their sponsorships. All of the money raised from the Cablethon goes toward unfunded programs in Okaloosa and Walton Counties such as indigent care, bereavement and children’s programs.
Covenant Hospice, a not-for-profit organization, is now seeking corporate sponsorships and auction items for the Cablethon. Call 729-1800 or visit www.covenanthospice.org